Are you familiar with the Catholic Community Service mission statement? It says this:

Strengthening and supporting the most vulnerable families and individuals inSoutheast Alaska with dignity, care, and compassion. ​

Our mission means everything to us. In fact, each month we collect “mission moments” that are contributed by our staff and community members. I wanted to share a few of them with you – each is a powerful story that illustrates the ways that CCS makes a difference in lives.

Do you have a CCS mission moment to share? Have you or a member of your family been helped by our senior services, hospice and home care, or Meals on Wheels? If so, we would love to hear your story; send an e-mail to info@ccsjuneau.org.

Join us this Mother’s Day for our annual Allen Marine whale watching tour in support of Hospice and Home Care of Juneau. Treat your mom to a special day on the water with fun for the whole family! Bring your camera and binoculars and be on the lookout for humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, porpoises, harbor seals, bald eagles, and more! A light lunch will be provided, catered by Breeze In.

WHEN: Sunday, May 12th. The cruise is from 2 pm to 5 pm; be sure to arrive by 1:30 pmWHERE: Auke Bay’s Statter HarborCOST: $75 per personSpace is limited so be sure to buy your tickets now! All proceeds benefit Hospice and Home Care of Juneau.Many thanks to Allen Marine Tours and Breeze In for sponsoring this event! Photo by Anneka K. Morgan.

A little over three months ago I had to make a difficult journey back home to be with my family due to my father’s illness. We all met at his oncologist’s office to hear the prognosis.. My father had been battling cancer for about five years. The doctor looked at my father and said “Mike, your cancer has spread throughout your body; it is a very aggressive cancer and you have about three to six months to live.” He then said, “I would like to refer you to the Hospice program.”

I work with Catholic Community Service, so I was very familiar with the philosophy of Hospice, but I didn’t realize how soon I would need this service in my personal life.

So, our Hospice journey started. Shortly after the referral from my dad’s oncologist, a social worker visited us to explain how the program worked and what to expect. The next day, a Registered Nurse Case Manager came in to assess my dad. She was wonderful. Her compassion and empathy were obvious to all of us. She listened to what we thought would be helpful and what we didn’t want. It was funny how one of the hardest decisions during this process was “do we want a hospital bed?” My dad and mom said “no” right away. I guess having a hospital bed in the house made it seem so much more real. Our nurse tried to encourage us and gave us reasons why it would be beneficial, but we dug in our heels and said, “no, we are sure we can handle all his needs without a hospital bed.”

Before the nurse left our home, she taught my sister and me everything we needed to know about the medications my dad would be taking, the dosages and how often we could use them to help relieve his discomfort. The nurse didn’t leave until she knew we understood the directions fully.

My dad’s condition turned bad very quickly and my brother, sister and myself found that we were struggling with moving my dad to help make him comfortable in his bed. At one point, my brother was pulling, my sister was pushing, and I was tugging, and we finally collapsed in laughter. I said, “Dad, I guess you didn’t anticipate having the three stooges caring for you like this!” His smile melted my heart and then I realized, I wouldn’t want my dad anywhere else. My brother and sister and I were given a sweet opportunity to share in the care of my sweet father in his final days. Some of the days were emotionally draining but my dad had his wife and his children (who loved him beyond words) giving every single ounce of themselves before he made his journey to his eternal reward. The hospital bed arrived the next day!​The Hospice program was there for us to give as much, or as little support as we asked for. They wanted to ensure we had our emotional, spiritual and physical needs met while we were going through this very difficult time together. My dad passed peacefully right next to us on January 21, 2019. I can honestly say he knew and felt the love of his family and friends because he was allowed to be in the comfort of his own home, in familiar surroundings and close to everyone and everything that gave him joy. There are a thousand memories that I hold on to during those last six days but the one that means to the most to me is when I would say “Daddy, I love you so much” and he would say, “I know you do.”

I am so proud and happy that I work for an organization that provides such comfort to patients and families in their time of need. Now that I have experienced Hospice services in my own family, I am even more convinced of its value.​Do you have a Hospice story to share? We would love to hear it. Please send your story to info@ccsjuneau.org.

On Saturday, April 13th, runners took over Twin Lakes as they competed in the 14th Annual Heart of Hospice 5K/1M. Over the past fourteen years, this event has become a primary fundraiser for Hospice and Home Care of Juneau. Despite dire weather predictions, the runners enjoyed crisp spring air and sunshine.

A recent partnership with Sealaska is benefiting clients at our senior centers throughout Southeast Alaska. Sealaska describes its investment this way: “We are so proud to support an organization that cares for elders in remote Southeast Alaska communities. From hot meals to good company, aid application assistance to rides to the doctor, Catholic Community Service, Inc. fulfills this vital need with love and compassion.” Thank you, Sealaska, for your support of our work. We look forward to jointly serving Southeast Alaska’s elders.

On April 1st, Southeast Senior Services (SESS) wrapped up its first regionwide raffle, which raised funds for senior centers throughout Southeast Alaska, including Angoon, Craig/Klawock, Haines, Hoonah, Kake, Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, and Wrangell. Overall, more than $15,000 was raised to support the SESS meals and rides programs. Congratulations to Ruth and Bill Brown of Hoonah, the lucky winners of two round-trip airline tickets to any Alaska Airlines destination.